William Garner Sr., War of 1812 Veteran-- Part 1

Back on July 9, I wrote about five War of 1812 veterans buried at Hebron Cemetery near Camp Point in Adams County, Illinois.

One of those men was William Garner Sr.

From Find a Grave.

WILLIAM GARNER SR.

BIRTH:   13 February 1794,  North Carolina

DEATH:  5 March 1889 (aged 89) Adams County, Illinois

BURIAL:  Hebron Cemetery, Camp Point Township, Adams County, Illinois.

His marker says he was a Soldier War 1812.

--Brock-Perry

Somewhat Off Subject, But Allan Nevins and Rick Reuschel

I have to include this as these are two people of interest to me.  I came across their names while trying to figure out the previous post.  What about this place also called Hebron Cemetery in Camp Point, Illinois, but not in Hebron, Illinois, where there is also a Hebron Cemetery.  Confusing.

Going to the Wikipedia Camp Point, Illinois, site, they have a listing of notable people from there.

Two names jumped right off the page to me: Allan Nevins and Rick Reuschel, combining two things I really like, the Civil War and baseball.

Allan Nevins was born in Camp Point. (1890-1971).  A noted historian and journalist.  Probably best-known for his Civil War 8 volume series "Ordeal of the Union."  I have this set, but, alas, haven't read any of them.

Rick Reuschel was born in Quincy, Illinois, but grew up in Camp Point and was a major league pitcher compiling 214 wins over many seasons from 1972 to 1991.  Many of those were for one of my favorite teams, the Chicago Cubs (second favorite behind the Chicago White Sox).

He also has a brother named Paul Reuschel who also pitched for a few years in the majors.  They were even both on the Cubs at one time.

Arthur S. Nevins, Allan's brother, who was a general in the Army and a close personal friend of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

You Never Know What You're Going to Find When You Go Roadtripping Through History Like I Do.  --Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Hebron Cemetery, Camp Point, Illinois

This took me awhile before I figured out that this Hebron Cemetery was not in Hebron, Illinois, but near Camp Point, Illinois, which is in the far western part of the state near the Mississippi River and it is in Adams County.

But, they have five War of 1812 veterans buried there.  Since I am doing War of 1812 veteran burials, I am going to list their names:

William A. Beckett

William Garner, Sr.

Andrew Hughes,  Indiana Militia

John Arthur McFarland

John W. McFarland

There are also one Mexican War veteran and twenty Civil War veterans buried there, many from the 78th Illinois Infantry.

--Brock-Perry

Wellsburg, WV, Has Another Lewis & Clark Connection-- Part 2: Patrick Gass

Also on the same sign is this about Patrick Gass:

Text and photo of Patrick Gas

Patrick Gass (1771-1870) Meriwether Lewis considered Gass a man of "capacity, diligence and integrity."  Gass, a good soldier and a first rate carpenter, volunteered for the expedition, over the  objections of his superiors, while stationed at Fort Kaskaskia in Illinois.

When Sgt. Floyd (the expedition's only casualty) died on 20 August 1804, Gass was elected by the party to replace him as "Sergeant  in the corps of volunteers for North Western  Discovery."

Gass returned to Wellsburg after the expedition - he was the last  living member   of the Corps of Discovery at his death in 1870.

--Brock-Perry

 

Some More on Capt. Leverett H. Barnes

From the May 20, 2021, Lake County (Illinois) Journal "Memorial Day event planned in Antioch."

The public is invited to attend.

Through the generosity of Dave and David Moore of Strang Funeral Home in Antioch and Zoia Monument Company in Woodstock, the restored monument of Antioch's oldest-known war veteran, Capt. Leverett H. Barnes (1787-1872), a War of 1812 veteran, will be dedicated.

The broken, overgrown  and forgotten stone now appears as it did on the day it was placed, 149 years ago.

I have not been able to find any further information on him.

--Brock-Perry

Some More on Capt. Leverett Barnes

From Find-A-Grave.

CAPT. LEVERETT H. BARNES

BIRTH:   23 October 1787,   Stockbridge, Berkshire County,  Massachusetts

DEATH:   26 May 1872,   Antioch, Lake County, Illinois

BURIAL:  Hillside Cemetery,  Antioch, Lake County, Illinois

Section 2, Row 14

INSCRIPTION:  Died May 26, 1872, aged 84 years, 7 months, 3 days.

**********************************

Leverett was a captain in the War of 1812.  Stone is now lying flat and becoming more illegible each year.

It sure is.  I am glad they are going to do something about it.

--Brock-Perry

Decatur (Illinois) Named After War of 1812 Hero Stephen Decatur-- Part 2

 Today a statue stands at the southwest corner of the Decatur Civic Center property overlooking downtown and a mural is on the side  of the building at 145 South Water Street.

The statue was erected in 1952 at West Main and Pine Street on the Millikin  Homestead grounds, overlooking  the home of  its main donors, the Scovill  family.  It was moved to its current location in 1991.

The mural, painted by Jerry Johnson, depicts Decatur leading the 1804 raid to burn the USS Philadelphia.

On its time, the City of Decatur has shared the triumphs and struggles of its nation and emerged with its eyes on the horizon.  Navigating  by a shining star whose name recalls unfailing courage, the City of Decatur proudly bears his name.

--Brock-Decatur

Did You Ever Wonder About Fort Worth, Texas?

On 1941, New York City restored the monument.  In 1995, the monument again underwent  an extensive restoration funded mainly by the Paul and Klara Porzelt Foundation and  U.S. Navy Commander (ret)  James A. Woodruff Jr.. Worth's great-great grandson.

He and his family have endowed  the maintenance of the monument and surrounding planting bed, through the Municipal Art Society's Adopt-A-Monument program.

********************************

The cities of Fort Worth and Lake Worth in Texas are named after him.  Also the villages of Worth in Illinois and Worth in Kentucky.

Worth County in Georgia and Iowa are named after him.

The famed Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida, is named for the general as well.

Enough Said.  --Brock-Perry

Illinois' 200th!!!!!-- Part 1: The Illinois Territory During War of 1812

I'll be taking a few days' break to write about the bicentennial of Illinois becoming a state in 1818.

From Wikipedia.

During the War of 1812, the Illinois Territory was the scene of fighting between American settlers and soldiers and Indians.  At the time, the Illinois Territory consisted of modern Illinois and parts of Minnesota and Michigan.

Tensions between Americans and Indians had been increasing in the years before the war.  Present-day Peoria was the site of a major Indian concentration and the chief there was a big supporter of Shawnee Prophet Tenskwatawa and his brother Tecumseh.

There were few U.S. soldiers in the area which was the far frontier at the time.  Ninian Edwards, Illinois Territorial governor directed militia operations.

--Brock-Perry

William McHenry Fort McHenry Not Named for Him (McHenry County in Illinois Named After Him)

McHenry County, Illinois,  and the City of McHenry, Illinois both named in his honor.

Born 3 October 1771 and Died 3 February 1835 at age 63.

Buried at Old State Cemetery (also called Old City Cemetery) in Vandalia, Illinois.

Of interest, Colonel Lucien Greathouse of the 48th Illinois Infantry is also buried there.  He was killed at the Battle of Atlanta in 1864 at the age of 22.  I'll be writing about his life in my Saw the Elephant Civil War blog today.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Johnson-- Part 4: Where Is It?

From Warsaw, Illinois, Park District.

Fort Johnson was hastily built in 1814 and was a rough stockade of rounded logs with blockhouses.  But in Autumn 1814 it was burned when the fort was abandoned by the Army when it retreated further south to an installation near Elsberry, Missouri.

Fort Johnson was always known to exist on the bluff somewhere near present-day Mulberry Street in Warsaw, but the exact site is in question.

However, persistent research by Joe Bartholomew and others have discovered the location through discoveries and artifacts found at the site.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Edwards in Warsaw, Illinois-- Part 1: Replaced Fort Johnson

From Illinois in Focus.

Warsaw, in Hancock County, is the westernmost town in Illinois.  At the north end of the town is Fort Edwards Park.  This is on the site of Fort Edwards, the fort that replaced Fort Johnson.

--Brock-Perry

Fort Johnson (Illinois)-- Part 2: Where Is It?

In October 1815, Fort Johnson was reoccupied and renamed Cantonment Davis.  Troops from here helped construct Fort Edwards which was occupied by American troops until 1824 and then traders moved in until about 1832.

Recent archaeological surveys have determined the probable location of Fort Johnson / Cantonment Davis.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 5: Very Involved in Edwardsville's Economy

In April 1816 he was appointed Receiver of U.S. Land Office in Edwardsville and held that post until his death in 1822.  In 1818, he was a delegate to Illinois' First Constitutional Convention.  In 1819 he was founder and first president of the Bank of Edwardsville and also held that position until his death.

He was buried at Lusk Cemetery in Edwardsville.

His house, which was built in 1820, still stands and now operates as a museum and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

On his grave he is listed as "Colonel Illinois Militia Rangers War of 1812."

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson-- Part 4: Militia and U.S. House of Representatives

During the War of 1812, he was appointed commander of a regiment of territorial militia with the rank of colonel.  He took part in two campaigns and later was appointed adjutant general.

In September 1814 he was elected as an Illinois Territorial, non-voting, member of the U.S. House of Representatives and served a partial term to March 1815.  Then, he was elected to a full term March 1815 to March 1817..

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson of Illinois-- Part 2

He served as representative from Illinois Territory in the U.S. Congress 1814-1816 and was representative to the convention that wrote the first Illinois Constitution in 1818.

In 1820 he built the house that still stands and is believed to be the oldest standing house in the state.

Benjamin Stephenson died October 10, 1822 and is buried in Edwardsville.

Stephenson County in Illinois, in the northern part of the state, is named for him.

--Brock-Perry

Benjamin Stephenson of Illinois-- Part 1

On Saturday,. April 7, I wrote about the War of 1812 muster taking place at the Stephenson House in Edwardsville, Illinois, on April 14.  I am familiar with this town because it is on Route 66, but i didn't know about the Stephenson House so did some more research.

From Wikipedia.

Colonel Benjamin Stephenson was a prominent citizen and politician.  Born 1769 in Pennsylvania, moved to Virginia in 1788, then moved to Kentucky and to the Illinois Territory in 1809.

He was an Illinois militia colonel and commanded a regiment in the War of 1812.  In 1813, he was appointed adjutant of the Illinois militia.

--Brock-Perry

Clayton Farm Owned By War of 1812 Veteran Honored

From the December 28, 2017, Herald-Whig (Illinois)  "Clayton farmer recognized for sesquicentennial farm" by Matt Dutgo.

The original 1864 deed for the farm of John Heinecke hangs on a wall in the farmhouse.  The farm became the 15th Adams County farm to achieve sesquicentennial status.

The original 160 acre plot was given to Robert Rickaby, a soldier who served in the War of 1812.  Over the years, the farm was sold several times, once even for as little as $70 and as much as $1,000 before John's great-great-grandfather Charles Heinecke bought it in July 8, 1864, for $37.99 an acre.  Heinecke was an immigrant from Hanover, Germany.

--Brock-Perry

Veteran of 'Forgotten War' Honored in Illinois-- Part 1: Ashbel Rowley

From the June 6, 2012, Daily herald (Kane County)  "Veteran of 'Forgotten' War of 1812 honored in Sugar Grove."

Ashbel Rowley served two weeks in the Army during the war.  In 1855, Congress loosened its service time requirements for pension land grants for War of 1812 veterans and he got 160 acres of Illinois farmland for free.

At age 63, the farmer and carpenter moved to homestead near what is now Kaneville, Illinois, with his wife and several children.  He lived there until he died in 1864.  He is the only known War of 1812 veteran buried in Sugar Grove Township Cemetery.

Two Weeks for 160 Acres?  Pretty Good Deal.  --Brock-Perry

War of 1812 Veterans Buried in Bond County, Illinois

 Good day to visit these men if you're living around Bond County, Illinois.

BONHAM HARLAN--  Born 1785 in Lincoln County, Kentucky.  Died 1840.  Buried in Camp Ground Cemetery in Greenville.  2nd W. Tennessee  Militia.  (I had to look up Lincoln County and found it was named after Revolutionary War General Benjamin Lincoln, not the later president.  Abraham Lincoln was not born in 1785.)

NICHOLAS KOONCE--  Born Dec. 25, 1788.  Died April 26, 1859.  Buried Old City Cemetery in Greenville.  Private Va. Militiamen.

ARCHIBALD MITCHELL--  Born May 22, 1791 in Woodford County, Kentucky.  Died Feb. 10, 1872, in Bond County.  Buried at Union Grove Cemetery in Ayers.

JOHN REEVES--  Born May 13, 1795.  Died Nov. 21, 1877 in Bond County.  Buried Maxey Cemetery in Greenville.

JEREMIAH STUBBLEFIELD--  Born 1789 in Jackson County, Georgia  Died in Bond County August 20, 1874.  Buried Maxey Cemetery in Greenville.  W Tennessee Militia.

Quite a few Southerners moving to Bond County at some point after the war.

Veterans Day 2017.  --Brock-Perry